Wiping and rubbing device.



W. H. CLARKE. WIPING AND RUBBING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1909.

Patented Oct. 24. 1911.

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WALTER H. CLARKE, OF HUNTINGTON PARK, CALIFORNIA.

.WIPING AND RUBBING DEVICE.

- Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed November 2, 1909. Serial Ito/525,962.

. To all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington Park, in the county of L 5 Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Wiping and Rubhing Device of which the following is a specification. z 1

This invention relates to a device for wiping andrubbing the skin, for example, after bathing, so as to remove the water therefrom and massaging the. skin and the main object of the invention is to provide adevice which will perform the wiping, operation by a scraping action rather than by absorption.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the stated purpose which will be flexible, so as to conform to the body as it is passed over the same. A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character with means for leading thewater away from the skin as it is collected therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described whichwill loosen and remove all particles of dead cuticle without liability of abrading or scratching the skin.

- In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the invention: Figure 1 is a front eleva 'tion of the Wiping device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line m ain Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof.

The device comprises a back member formed as a. substantially fiat plate 1 which may be. elliptical in shape and is provided with a series of ridges or flanges 2 projecting forwardly therefrom, said flanges extending transverselyof the back 1 from edge to edge and approximately in parallelism .'with one another, so as to form a series of channels between the flanges. Said flanges 2 are preferably curved, the curvature being reversed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the back member 1, so that each flange is in the form of an. ogee curve.

The device is preferably composed of elastic or yielding material. such as soft rubber molded in one integral piece. Openings 3 are provided in the back portion 1 between. the flanges 2 to allow water to pass through from the front to the back of Ithe,

brush; 1 v To facilitate the molding-operation,-

jthese openings are preferably counter-sunk won both front and rear as shown at 3'. The device is preferably provided with a thereon and finds its way handle consisting of a strap or band 5 connected at; its ends to the respective sides of the back 1 and extending in bow-shape over the back member, so as to enable the users 0 hand to be inserted between this strap and the back in using the device.

The device is used as follows: The handbeing passed Within the strap 5, the device isapplied to the skin with the edges of the. flanges 2 in contact with the skin and it is then drawn over the skin with a wiping movement. In this movement the yielding flanges 2 follow the surface of the skin closely and scrape the water therefrom, this v7o action being facilitated by the curvature of the flanges giving a shearing or laterally sliding wipe. The water thus collected o the front faces of the flanges runs back through the open: ings 3 in the back, so that it is efiectually and permanently removed from the skin. The device described may alsohe used" with good results in giving massage treatments, as the parallel yielding flanges, being. of uniform height and extending fromedge. to-edge transversely of the back, afi'lord a. uniform contacting surface Wit-lithe skin of the user and apply an equal amount of; pressure upon the surface being treated. The uniform pressure and consequent friction thereby leaves the skin over which the device is passed in a glow and avoids any liability of scratching or abrading the skin. The flexible flanges extending. transversely of the back and from edge to edge thereof. and being of uniform height, afl'ord a perfect and regular series of rubbing or fIlO-K tional contact points for the skin of the user, all of' the said contacting surfaces being so arranged that they are caused to. traverse the skin across the axis of the several flanges. The curvature of the flanges also. prevents any liability of theflange being drawn in a straight line, thereby avoid- 00" ing any liability of scratching or abrading of the skin as is liable to occur when any edged material is drawn over the skin of a person in a straight line.

What I claim is: 1. A wiping device for use in bathing constructed wholly of soft vulcanized rubber consisting of a'flexible back member having a series of deep flexible transversely arranged knife edge flanges of ogee curve on the inner face of the back member so as to provide deep clear or unobstructed open ended channels of ogee curve through Which the water is caused to play.

2. A Wiping device for use in bathing constructed Wholly of soft vulcanized rubber consisting of a flexible back member having a series of deep flexible transversely {LIE ranged knife edge flanges of ogee curve on the inner face of the back member so as to provide deep clear or unobstructed open ended krhannels of ogee curve through-Which thefivater is caused to play, and openings in the back member between the knife ed ge flanges permitting the water to play between the cl1annelsand the outer face of the back member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at'Los Angeles, California, this 22nd day of October, 1909.

' WALTER H. CLARKE.

In presence of P. H. Summon, FRANK L. A. GRAHQMI. 

